About Relocation2

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Female

Currently Lives:

Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador

Citizen Of:

United States

HR/Relo
Professional:

Provider of Expat-Related Services & Products

Some Forum Posts:

Ecuador Welcome Forum: resident visa:

We found it better to wait a while with the visa until we were ready to move - took us 2 years to sell the house. That way we didn't run into the rule that regulates your time outside of the country. It is nerve-wracking to wait for the U.S. property to sell. We were in the process of packing when the buyers came through for the first time - it was that close! Ecua-Assist.com has office for visa processing and can also assist you in obtaining the visa stateside. Karen Relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Global Expat Forum: Possible Move:

Ecuador has a climate for everyone. The Carribean can be hot and sultry - so can areas of Ecuador. Cuenca and Quito are at high elevations and can be cool at times. Coastal and Amazonian Ecuador are warmer; so is Vilcabamba. Explore via the internet and then set your sights on visiting before moving. BTW, Belize speaks English - most of the rest of Central and South America do not. PM me for more info: Karen relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Holiday festivities!:

Search "Christmas in Cuenca" - the passing of the Christ Child is a big event here. There are parades. Also, there are concerts in various locations. For expat activities and Christmas dinners - usually reservation required, check GringoPost.com and GringoTree.com. Enjoy. Karen Relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Ecuador: Family health insurnace:

If you have insurance in the states, check with them to see if it covers travel outside the U.S. Usually, if it does, you will have to pay first and request reimbursement. Make sure you know what documents they will require to make a payment and have Spanish documents translated into English (some companies now have a Spanish speaking service and don't need the translation.) Here, we pay less to see the doctor than I paid on my "Cadillac" health insurance in the states but it is usually up front and in cash. Send me a pm if you need more info about relocating to Ecuador. Karen Relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Ecuador: Garmin for Ecuador and or South America:

Make sure you have an international drivers license. It can help in a pinch. Others can tell you if it is required - I don't drive here because at 12 cents a ride, the bus is better than a car for city life. Karen relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Cuenca Transit website down:

Thank you! I've been trying to update myself on the new bus routes as of Dec 1 - specifically which local buses run north and south and on what streets to get where I need to go. I checked out their site and found it helpful for the buses I needed. Bus travel is so inexpensive - just 25 cents in the city and 12 cents if over 65. Too bad they don't carry stepstools to help one in and out of the bus! Karen relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Quito Questions: USA Smart Phone Parts, and Obtaining MagicJack:

Check out Club Correos at http://www.correosdelecuador.gob.ec/. For around $11.00 a year, you can get an account and ship items to Miami. They ask you to alert them that something is coming and also to upload your invoice once they have received the item. Then, depending on the weight of the item, they charge another fee payable from their site via paypal. This is for transporting the item to Ecuador and handling customs documents for you. Generally under 4 kg and $400 does not pay a customs fee - all the details are on their website and can be translated into English. I have imported several items this way. It takes a couple of weeks, usually, to get the items from order to receipt. One caveat, not all US companies will ship to that Miami address, so check the policy of the company you are purchasing from. Karen Relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Ecuador Welcome Forum: type of visa:

The residency visa (that allows you to bring HHG if you wish) does have a limit as specified earlier - only 90 days each year can be spent out of the country for the first two years. After that, you can be gone 18 months. The non-immigrant visas are the tourist visas. http://cancilleria.gob.ec/requisitos-para-solicitud-de-visas-no-inmigrantes-e-inmigrantes/ On the right hand side of the page you should be able to translate to English. Also, companies like EcuaAssist may provide up to date information for you. Karen RelocationServicesEcuador@gmail.com

Ecuador: Launch New Restaurant:

Not an expert - perhaps a potential visitor for the donuts. HOWEVER, consider your recipes when planning to make donuts. Cake donuts would probably be ok. Yeast products - you need to learn to work with the lower gluten flour here to be successful with yeast breads. The flour still has gluten, it just doesn't work as well as in the states. Maybe a Starbucks franchise??? Karen Relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Ecuador Welcome Forum: How to get Checked Baggage to Cuenca:

We can also provide the name of someone with a comfortable, doublecab pickup with a cover over the back. He can haul up to 15 suitcases securely and does not charge waiting time. He will pick you up after a night flight or during the day. The countryside is beautiful during the day on the trip to Cuenca. Karen Relocationservicesecuador@gmail.com

Date Joined:

1/31/2010

Total Posts:

183

Posts/Day:

0.07